What to know about polio-like illness in Michigan: CDC tracking 4 cases

In August 2016, Sebastian Bottomley, 5, contracted a rare polio-like disease called Acute flaccid myelitis. He could not move anything below his neck within the first few days of getting sick.(Photo: Cameron Clark, York Daily Record)

Seek medical care immediately if you or your child develop these symptoms.

How do I prevent it?

The best prevention measures are the same to prevent any virus, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services previously told the Free Press. People should wash their hands frequently with soap and water and cover their mouths when coughing.

Because polio virus and West Nile virus may sometimes lead to AFM, Michiganders should also make sure they're up-to-date on polio vaccines and use mosquito repellent to ward off virus-carrying bugs.